1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to animal control devices and more particularly to an animal leash device for preventing entanglement of a first tether and a second tether.
2. Background of the Invention
Ever since man became associated with dogs, the use of a leash was employed as a method to control the animal. Ancient art from 4400 B.C. illustrates dogs wearing collars and under their master's control via leashes. Dogs were originally used in hunting and for the protection of people. These activities are still used today, but have been joined by today's most popular use, having a dog as a companion. Today, companion dogs of every size and breed can now be seen accompanying their masters on streets throughout the world. The popularity of companion dogs as pets has resulted in leash laws, wherein the owner/master of the dog is required to keep his/her dog on a leash in an effort to ensure the owner's control of the animal. The evolution in the development of leashes has progressed from a simple length of leather to sophisticated systems utilizing a handle and telescoping line on a reel, permitting greater flexibility in controlling the animal.
In recent years there has been an increase of persons walking with more than one dog. Invariably, when walking more than one dog, the dogs will exchange positions, resulting in a twisting of their leashes. As the leashes are twisted, the telescoping and retrieval of the leash lines are compromised, resulting in diminished control over the animals.
There have been many in the prior art who have attempted to solve these problems with varying degrees of success. None, however completely satisfies the requirements for a complete solution to the aforestated problem. The following U.S. patents are attempts of the prior art to solve this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,314,504 to Lifchultz discloses the control of dogs and other similar animals, and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved leash constructed and arranged to enable the user to employ his full strength, if need be, in controlling the animal without discomfort, and at the same time to call for a minimum of constraint or manipulation of the leash at times when maximum effort is not called for.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,175 to Dean discloses a dog leash which is such in construction that it can be acceptably and effectively used with minimal effort on the part of the dog handler without discomforting the dog. Like certain analogous prior art adaptations, it is characterized by a spring-loaded reel-wound leach which, while it is normally attached to and left in position on the dog's collar, can be detached whenever necessary or desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,253 to Galin discloses improvements in leashes for domestic animals and more particularly to an improved form of retractable leash for use with animal collars. A retractable leash for use with a domestic animal, such as a dog, is useful for calming the animal in crowded or congested areas, for example, city streets and public conveyances. The noise, motion, and people commonly encountered in such places generally cause even well-trained and good-tempered animals to be nervous and uncontrollable. By providing a leash which can be quickly and conveniently shortened, the distance between the animal and the master can be readily decreased so the well-known calming influence exerted on the animal by the close proximity of the master can be exercised. This is of particular importance when the master's hands are otherwise occupied with parcels and the like, or when the master is blind.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,596 to Croce, et al. discloses a reel type spring wound extendible animal leash controlled by cam and gears under manual setting of a select lever to have four different positions: locked leash; free movement of leash; leash restrained to be payed but not to be wound up; and leash restrained to be wound up but not unwound.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,283 to Croce, et al. discloses a retractable leash device in which the rotation of a spring-return leash carrying reel is controlled by positioning a cam that established the respective settings of a pair of pawls, both of which cooperate with a single toothed wheel connected to the reel, such that in accordance with the cam position selected, the leash can be freely paid out and retracted by the spring, or locked against further pay-out but freely retracted by the spring upon slackening, or locked against both pay-out and retraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,189 to Umphries, et al. discloses a retractable leash for dogs and other pets. A casing is fastened to a dog collar and remains connected thereto during periods when the animal is not being walked. A rotatable reel is supported in the casing and a flexible leash is wound about the reel. One end of the leash is externally accessible of the casing by connection to a handle. A spring engages both the reel and the casing and tightly coils in response to the unwinding of the leash. A removable cover on one side of the casing facilitates servicing, the cover being locked closed by the attachment to the animal's collar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,713 to Brawner, et al. discloses a retractable leash for dogs and like pets including a housing having a generally cylindrical cavity in which a rotatable reel is mounted and spring biased in one direction with a flexible leash member wound on the reel and extending externally of the housing and connected to a handle. The handle is defined by a resilient loop which encircles and resiliently biases into engagement with the housing for providing a compact arrangement when the leash is not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,230 to Talo discloses a hand-held apparatus which dispenses, retracts and locks an animal leash in a desired position characterized by a spool housing sized to store a length of cord and a handle portion adapted to be grasped in the hand of a user. The spool housing rotably mounts a spool having the length of cord wrapped thereabout with the distal end of the cord being attachable to an animal collar. A coil spring is mounted between the spool and spool housing to continuously bias the length of cord in a retracted position about the spool. A high strength locking mechanism adapted to selectively apply friction to the spool and positively prevent the cord from being dispensed or retracted from the spool is provided which is actuable by way of a trigger lever formed on the handle portion of the housing. A cam actuator stop is additionally provided to maintain the locking mechanism in a locked orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,626 to Kilsby, et al. discloses a lunge line controller which can be easily and conveniently operated by one hand for lunging a horse for training or exercising purposes while avoiding injury to the operator or the animal. The controller includes a housing in which a reel is disposed and pivoted on a shaft. The reel includes a cylindrical central hub containing a spring. The reel has planar circular flanges that project outwardly from both outer surfaces and includes evenly spaced teeth on the outside of the flanges. The spring connects to the shaft to urge the reel in one direction of rotation. A flexible tape is connected to the reel and extends out of the housing and has a clip at its free end. When in a release position, the spring rotates the reel, thus coiling the tape around the reel until the clip reaches the housing. The latching means comprises an actuation and locking button biased by a spring to an outward position. The button comprises two rectangular portions, i.e., a back rectangular portion which extends to a transverse rectangular portion. The back rectangular portion extends out of the housing and includes an angled outer end. The back rectangular portion also includes a locking notch on its underside that can be hooked onto the housing to hold the button in position. The transverse rectangular portion of the button includes two projecting fingers that provide interference with the teeth on the reel. This configuration allows the operator to select three separate functions by pushing the button, i.e., the tape can either be (1) freely paid-out and retracted, (2) locked against pay-out or retraction, or (3) momentarily-locked against pay-out or retraction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,926 to Bogdahn discloses a retractable animal leash assembly including a housing suitable for being held in one hand. An unwindable leash is arranged partially coiled within the housing, a brake which is operable by the holding hand for momentarily blocking the portion of the leash located outside the housing at a desired length and a brake lock mechanism is provided for holding the brake in the blocking position. The brake lock mechanism is activated with operating levers arranged in two positions on the housing reachable by the holding hand. Thus the housing can be held in either the left or the right hand without degradation of function and the prolonged switch may be easily and quickly operated by the holding hand or its fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,456 to Tancrede discloses a new retractable animal leash device for holding and storing animal waste bags therein. The inventive device includes a housing having a spaced apart pair of side panels and a circumferential wall extending between the side panels. A handle is coupled to the housing. The housing has an opening into the interior of the housing. A retractable elongate flexible leash is provided in the interior of the housing. The leash has a free end for attachment to an animal extending through the opening of the housing. Each of the side panels has a storage compartment in the interior of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,054 to Matt, et al. discloses a retractable leash including an integral light. The apparatus has a first housing section and a retractable leash section. The first housing section has a handle, a light connected to top front portion of the first housing section and a receiving area. A rechargeable battery is removably connected to the first housing in the handle. The retractable leash section has a second housing section pivotably mounted to the first housing section, in the receiving area, and a reel rotatably mounted to the second housing section. A leash is connected to the reel for extension and retraction relative to the first housing section. In an alternate embodiment, a light is located on the leash and electrically connected to a conductor extending along the leash.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,773 to Bogdahn discloses a retractable animal leash assembly including a housing suitable for being held in one hand. A freely moveable, but, if desired, lockable leash is arranged partially coiled within the housing. This housing mounts a brake key operable by the holding hand for momentarily blocking the portion of the leash located outside the holding at a desired length with a brake lock mechanism for holding the brake key in the locking position. This brake lock mechanism comprises a two-armed lever arranged to be moved between two positions on the housing reachable by the same finger/thumb of the holding hand, the handling of this pivoted lever occurring in an ergonomically optimal manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,270 to Imes discloses an improved dog leash for use with two or more dogs that enables two dogs to be walked simultaneously. The invention resists tangling and is designed to minimize the effect each dog has on each other in the natural course of the inventions use. Moreover, the invention takes into account the natural predilections of dogs in that the leash allows the dogs to roam more freely. However, the invention also accounts for the differences in the strength, size and activity of each dog attached to the invention by minimizing the effect each dog has on the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,261 to Irving discloses an extendible and retractable lead that can be extended or retracted and locked in position in a single action. The lead comprises a casing housing a reel, a lead windable about the reel, the casing having an outlet for passage of the lead and further comprising a moveable member for engagement and disengagement with the reel, a part of the moveable member being engageable with a retainer on movement of the member towards the reel to lock the member against the reel in a single action.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,026 to Carville, Jr. discloses a restraint-assisting handle, an animal restraint assembly, and a method of restraining an animal. The handle, assembly, and method facilitate the handling of wild and domestic animals by means of leashes. The handle, assembly, and method are amenable for use with retractable leashes, though other types of leashes may be used. Aspects of the present invention can minimize the potential for animal handlers, for example, pet owners, to be injured when using a retractable leash. One aspect of the invention is a restraint-assisting handle for use with a retractable leash having an elongated cord and a housing for storing the elongated cord. The restraint-assisting handle includes an elongated element having a channel through which the cord freely passes as the cord extends from and retracts to the housing of the retractable leash.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,893 to Quintero, et al. discloses a retractable leash for two animals which includes two spool assemblies for individual extension and retraction of each animal's cord. Each animal's cord is controlled by a button and locking mechanism. The cord holes where the leash cords exit are opposite of each other to minimize or prevent entanglement. If the leash cords cross, the operator need only rotate the lease handgrip to uncross the cords. In one locking design, braking and locking buttons are placed on both the top and bottom of the leash handgrip so that the operator may turn the leash and be immediately ready to control the forward movement of the animals. The leash may also be adapted to mount on the animal's collars as separate units which fasten together to form one walking leash.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,527 to Price discloses an integrated pet leash comprising a pet restraint, handle, retractors fastened to the outer side of the collar, and flexible elongated members. The flexible elongated members are coupled between the ends of the handle and the retractors. The retractors exert a force on the flexible elongated members toward the restraint. Additionally, the handle may include a detachable fastener to lock the collar-leash to poles, fence posts, parking meters, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,036,459 to Mugford, et al. discloses a leash assembly including a body with a handle and a cord which has an end captive in the body. The assembly is adjustable whereby the tension in the cord can be caused automatically to increase and decrease respectively causing a shudder in the cord. Optionally, a noise my accompany the change in tension in the cord. The leash will be attached in use to a collar or harness worn, for example, by a dog and the shudder is used to assist in training the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,393 to Bogdahn, et al. discloses a leash assembly having a strap or leash that can be reeled or unreeled for walking animals. The assembly has a handle and a housing attached thereto in which the strap is arranged on a turnable roller device for being reeled or unreeled. The assembly also includes a brake key that can stop and prevent rotation of the roller device to restrict a part of the strap extending externally of the housing to a desired length. In addition, the assembly includes an exit opening through which the strap extends externally of the housing. Preferably, the exit opening is formed as a slit, and the slit has a central region along its longitudinal extension that has an enlarged opening porfion extending laterally from at least one side of the slit.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,296 to DiDonato discloses a two-pet no-tangle retractable leash device including an axle having a rod opening perpendicular to its axis and a first spool including a first leash and a second spool including a second leash rotatably mounted on the axle. Each leash having a proximal end attached to the spool and a distal end extending through one of two leash openings. Additionally, each spool has a spool brake and a return spring, where a proximal end of the return spring is connected to the spool and a distal end of the return spring is connected to the axle. When a force is applied to pull on the leashes, the spools rotate thereby unwinding the return springs. When the force is removed, the return springs rewind forcing the spool to rewind the leash to its original position. The device further includes a shaft having a proximal and a distal ends, the shaft being positioned perpendicular to the axle; a brake rod having a distal end passing through the rod opening and the proximal end passing through the shaft; a cone disk brake connected to the distal end of the brake rod; and a brake spring positioned on the brake rod between the disk cone brake and the axle, wherein the shaft rotation around the shaft axis and the spools' rotation around the axle axis is enabled when the brake is not engaged and disabled when the brake is engaged.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art of animal control leashes, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved leash apparatus for use with multiple animals.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for eliminating the twisting of the plurality of leash lines.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus that is simple for the operator to use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus that is easy to cost effectively produce.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.